Touch Portal App

[nicelife]

Thanks for the update and the good work. Any chance you would make this project open-source on github to maybe get more help on this from other people?

[virgo47]

On 1/17/2024 at 11:42 PM, nicelife said:

Thanks for the update and the good work. Any chance you would make this project open-source on github to maybe get more help on this from other people?

I'm now waiting for @xoomigo to come alive and have time to update it. I'm a programmer, although no .NET expert, but I'd definitely spend some time trying to make it work if it was on GitHub, because right now I don't use this at all because of the breaking TouchPortal upgrade. I loved this option because it's a flexible and cost-effective alternative to HW panels. The integration is also much better than just plain key-bind emulation, not to mention the feedback to the panel so it can also show stuff or blink. So I hope it will be updated or, at least, eventually published. Fingers crossed.

 

[OSchmidt]

Question is, how do I move the ECM XMIT Action to the other side! I can move the green events from DCS but not the blue actions! Is there something wrong with the installation? Can someone help? Thanks

[virgo47]

3 hours ago, OSchmidt said:

Question is, how do I move the ECM XMIT Action to the other side! I can move the green events from DCS but not the blue actions! Is there something wrong with the installation?

This is exactly the thing we need to wait for now. After the major upgrade in TouchPortal, this plugin does not work correctly. You can't work with the actions, you can't change the value (ON/OFF, etc.), you can't drag'n'drop it. We need to wait for the update for the DCS-COINS plugin, hopefully sometime in this quarter of the year.

[OSchmidt]

Am 28.1.2024 um 22:57 schrieb virgo47:

This is exactly the thing we need to wait for now. After the major upgrade in TouchPortal, this plugin does not work correctly. You can't work with the actions, you can't change the value (ON/OFF, etc.), you can't drag'n'drop it. We need to wait for the update for the DCS-COINS plugin, hopefully sometime in this quarter of the year.

OK.Danke

[KleineWimpie]

On 9/13/2023 at 6:53 PM, Tanuki44 said:

I got help from WarLord from DCS FlightPanels.

This made it possible to find the problem in the lua file, currently DCS-BIOS seems (I have to complete the file) to be functional in bidirectional mode.

It will be necessary to regenerate the *.pp file, for the moment I will modify the current test file manually

I have the same problem with my Touch Portal and the UH-1H Huey page. How did you solved it? Or is it impossible to solve until the PlugIn is updated? 

Thanks

[xoomigo]

Just a little note that I will start review of the latest TP requirement changes soon... hope to be able to give an update here in a few days time.

[virgo47]

11 hours ago, xoomigo said:

Just a little note that I will start review of the latest TP requirement changes soon... hope to be able to give an update here in a few days time.

I'm looking forward to it, I really like this as a universal and flexible addition to HOTAS. Great to hear from you.

[xoomigo]

Hi Virgo47 & all who had been waiting patiently...

It's finally done. You can get the TP4-compatible DCS-COINS Version 4 from the same place:

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3319022/

Note that this version of DCS-COINS is not be compatible with TP v3 and older. Therefore, please do the necessary backup of your existing TP pages and DCS-COINS version on-hand before you do the upgrade and page editing.

The TP4 basic plugin support is not exactly clean. I had to do a workaround to enable its new parser to accept the generated TPP format. It may be a problem later when the known bug is fixed in future.

The bad news is that all actions added using the pre-TP4 format cannot be edited. The only recourse is to delete and then add them again - and you will need to bear with the 5-second loading time of the "Edit Control Screen" with each button click.

Cheers.

xoomigo

 

Edited March 14, 2024 by xoomigo
Remove blank lines at the bottom

[virgo47]

8 hours ago, xoomigo said:

...

The bad news is that all actions added using the pre-TP4 format cannot be edited. The only recourse is to delete and then add them again - and you will need to bear with the 5-second loading time of the "Edit Control Screen" with each button click.

Hola @xoomigo, now I've got something to do for the next few days or weeks. First touches look promising. True, I had to switch the actions, but the events seem to work without changes, so it's not SUCH a pain. I don't understand the note about 5-second loading time, so far the experience is snappy for me - when does it occur?

EDIT: Never mind, now I see it. It's not 5-sec. It's ever longer with each button edited. It seems to be COINS related. When I delete the plugin, TP click on button is fast again (for non-related buttons), but with your plugin, the click on buttons (even unrelated ones) seems to be slower and slower. From a simple look to Task Manager, I can't understand it, the plugin doesn't seem to take CPU or much memory, neither TP memory is going up and CPU is not excessive... Can it be caused by all the new available actions and actually being a TP4 scaling problem?

One minor issue I spotted right away after migrating my first switch is that the default in the select box is none of the actual values:

The default in this case is OFF, but I need to change it to [0] OFF for it to actually work. Not sure whether it's module-specific, but I saw it on both of the first buttons I migrated.

Also, if possible, please, make it an open-source eventually, just in case. I'm not seeing anything bad happening to you (God forbid), but I know from my own experience, that sometimes enough is enough with any project, or something with higher priority appears, or whatever - and then we're all hostages with unusable pages. Maybe nobody forks it... but at least anybody can.

Thanks for coming alive with this project, there is also a competition for Matric available now (quite serious, as Matric can do more in some cases), but I already started this endeavour with TP and I like it even with some TP-inherent limitations. TP gets better as well, so we don't know where the road will lead us in the end. I hope for the best.

Edited March 13, 2024 by virgo47

[KleineWimpie]

@xoomigo Thank you very much for your work! I can’t wait to take a look at it tomorrow.

[xoomigo]

11 hours ago, virgo47 said:

EDIT: Never mind, now I see it. It's not 5-sec. It's ever longer with each button edited. It seems to be COINS related. When I delete the plugin, TP click on button is fast again (for non-related buttons), but with your plugin, the click on buttons (even unrelated ones) seems to be slower and slower. From a simple look to Task Manager, I can't understand it, the plugin doesn't seem to take CPU or much memory, neither TP memory is going up and CPU is not excessive... Can it be caused by all the new available actions and actually being a TP4 scaling problem?

TP 4.2 Build 1 (Beta) is out and supposedly fixed the bug I mentioned earlier. But it did not fix the lag in button/slider dialog window loading time. The issue appears to correlate to the number of plugin actions/events or connectors registered. The more you have, the longer it takes to load. Therefore for the time being, I would advise to limit install the aircraft module one at a time - to the one that you are going to work with in your TP pages.

I will need to contact TP to report this issue. TP4 "Edit Control Screen" does not appear to be optimized to initialize large number of actions, events and connectors.

12 hours ago, virgo47 said:

The default in this case is OFF, but I need to change it to [0] OFF for it to actually work. Not sure whether it's module-specific, but I saw it on both of the first buttons I migrated.

I will take a look later.

12 hours ago, virgo47 said:

Also, if possible, please, make it an open-source eventually, just in case. I'm not seeing anything bad happening to you (God forbid), but I know from my own experience, that sometimes enough is enough with any project, or something with higher priority appears, or whatever - and then we're all hostages with unusable pages. Maybe nobody forks it... but at least anybody can.

Thanks for coming alive with this project, there is also a competition for Matric available now (quite serious, as Matric can do more in some cases), but I already started this endeavour with TP and I like it even with some TP-inherent limitations. TP gets better as well, so we don't know where the road will lead us in the end. I hope for the best.

I hear you. It's on my to-do list.

[KleineWimpie]

Unfortunately I still can't get it to work. I guess it had something to do with the bottom line 'unhandeld rejection'. This directory 'C:\Users\joeyd\acdb\aircraftModules.pp' doesn't excist. The 'acdb' map and 'aircraftModules.pp' file doe excist, but in the 'Desktop\DCS-COINS\Munt.G_DCS-COINS' map. DCS-COINS is installed on the C drive and DCS on the D drive, I don't know is that's a problem? Do you have a solution for me maybe @xoomigo?

C:\Users\joeyd>Desktop\DCS-COINS\Munt.G_DCS-COINS\DCS-COINS -v
DCS-COINS Version 4 (2403.01): Verbose mode enabled.
2024-03-14T14:06:09.335Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: parsed aircraft JSON - CommonData
2024-03-14T14:06:09.337Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: parsed aircraft JSON - MetadataEnd
2024-03-14T14:06:09.337Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: parsed aircraft JSON - MetadataStart
2024-03-14T14:06:09.340Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: parsed aircraft JSON - P-51D
2024-03-14T14:06:09.343Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: parsed aircraft JSON - UH-1H
2024-03-14T14:06:09.360Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: UDP client listening on 0.0.0.0:5010
node:internal/process/promises:279
            triggerUncaughtException(err, true /* fromPromise */);
            ^

[UnhandledPromiseRejection: This error originated either by throwing inside of an async function without a catch block, or by rejecting a promise which was not handled with .catch(). The promise rejected with the reason "Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, open 'C:\Users\joeyd\acdb\aircraftModules.pp'".] {
  code: 'ERR_UNHANDLED_REJECTION'

[virgo47]

54 minutes ago, KleineWimpie said:

Unfortunately I still can't get it to work... no such file or directory, open 'C:\Users\joeyd\acdb\aircraftModules.pp'".]

You run the exe from another directory. Go to Desktop\DCS-COINS\Munt.G_DCS-COINS first, then run it from there and it will work. It's sensitive to the current working dir.

BTW: mentioned on the User file page:
...
3. Type "cd " and followed by your DCS-COIN install folder, and hit ENTER.
4. Type "DCS-COINS -v" to run in verbose mode.

In this case the instructions matter. Happy "COINSing".

Edited March 14, 2024 by virgo47

[virgo47]

Funny, I had much fewer problems with the Touch Portal app delay when editing the buttons (without any changes or updates), so it's actually pretty good since I mentioned it in the post! I'm now revamping my L-39 pages using some own Photoshop experiments for icons, I'm quite excited about it, so hopefully in a week or two I'll be ready to publish it. So far so good with the TP and COINS, everything seems to be working!

[Tanuki44]

Everything works again for me with this update which allows using TouchPortal 4.1.2

Thanks for the work 
 

[KleineWimpie]

On 3/14/2024 at 4:07 PM, virgo47 said:

You run the exe from another directory. Go to Desktop\DCS-COINS\Munt.G_DCS-COINS first, then run it from there and it will work. It's sensitive to the current working dir.

BTW: mentioned on the User file page:
...
3. Type "cd " and followed by your DCS-COIN install folder, and hit ENTER.
4. Type "DCS-COINS -v" to run in verbose mode.

In this case the instructions matter. Happy "COINSing".

 

Excuse me for my late answer, but I was away from home for a few days. I changed the Touch Portal installation from drive D to drive C and a reinstall of the DCS BIOS and DCS COINS. Since they're on the same drive and followed the instructions better, I don't have the problem I stated above anymore. Now i just need to get familiar with Touch Portal. In the prompt I can see the commands are being sent to the game, there's only no response ingame. 

Edit:
When i use the 'virtual key press' I do get the buttons to work. It's not the best solution, but I do know now that it works for me.

Thanks for the help! 

Edited March 20, 2024 by KleineWimpie

[virgo47]

7 hours ago, KleineWimpie said:

When i use the 'virtual key press' I do get the buttons to work. It's not the best solution, but I do know now that it works for me.

That means you're not using COINS and its powers. In most cases previously, I had problems with DCS BIOS itself. COINS can install it for you, but sometimes something got stuck and I had to uninstall DCS BIOS, clean up relevant lines in Saved Games/<dcs>/Scripts/Export.lua and reinstall BIOS again (the right version used by COINS). I don't have exact steps for this, sometimes it was kinda messing around until it all started working. Last time there were no problems really.

[KleineWimpie]

On 3/21/2024 at 12:08 AM, virgo47 said:

That means you're not using COINS and its powers. In most cases previously, I had problems with DCS BIOS itself. COINS can install it for you, but sometimes something got stuck and I had to uninstall DCS BIOS, clean up relevant lines in Saved Games/<dcs>/Scripts/Export.lua and reinstall BIOS again (the right version used by COINS). I don't have exact steps for this, sometimes it was kinda messing around until it all started working. Last time there were no problems really.

I agree with you on that. I just can't seem to get the actions to do something ingame. I tried buttons, sliders and events, but I don't get any ingame reactions. I already reinstalled the DCS BIOS a couple of times and replaced the export.lua with the original file, but it won't do the trick. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but for a 'simple' action like switching the battery on/off in the UH-1H I took the following steps in Touch Portal:

After these steps I refreshed the page on my tablet and pressed the button. I tried this with [0] On, [1] Off and Toggle. Because the actions won't do anything, the events also don't work. I have the same result with al the actions I try, also in the P-51D and the SA342.

This is what I see in the command prompt:
C:\Users\joeyd\DCS-COINS\Munt.G_DCS-COINS>DCS-COINS -v
DCS-COINS Version 4 (2403.01): Verbose mode enabled.
2024-03-22T18:12:19.202Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: parsed aircraft JSON - CommonData
2024-03-22T18:12:19.203Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: parsed aircraft JSON - MetadataEnd
2024-03-22T18:12:19.204Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: parsed aircraft JSON - MetadataStart
2024-03-22T18:12:19.206Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: parsed aircraft JSON - P-51D
2024-03-22T18:12:19.208Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: parsed aircraft JSON - SA342
2024-03-22T18:12:19.211Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: parsed aircraft JSON - UH-1H
2024-03-22T18:12:19.219Z [INFO]  dcs-bios-api: UDP client listening on 0.0.0.0:5010
Command Sent: mgdc_uh-1h_ac_bat_sw [MGDC_UH-1H_AC_BAT_SW 0]
Command Sent: mgdc_uh-1h_ac_bat_sw [MGDC_UH-1H_AC_BAT_SW 1]
Command Sent: mgdc_uh-1h_ac_bat_sw [MGDC_UH-1H_AC_BAT_SW TOGGLE]

Greetings!
 

[virgo47]

3 hours ago, KleineWimpie said:

This is what I see in the command prompt:

C:\Users\joeyd\DCS-COINS\Munt.G_DCS-COINS>DCS-COINS -v

...

If you don't see a regular flow of events from DCS in the verbose output, there is definitely something not right between COINS and DCS-BIOS or, more likely, between DCS-BIOS and DCS. However, I can't help with that that much. Did you uninstall DCS BIOS or just try to reinstall it? It's better to uninstall it first and then try again. After you uninstall it, inspect your Saved Games/<dcs>/Scripts folder for any remnants.

[xoomigo]

KleineWimpie,

Please share the content of your Export.lua file.

Thanks & regards,

xoomigo

Edited October 7, 2024 by xoomigo

[KleineWimpie]

Well guys I don't know what happened, but for some reason it's working!
I really aprecciate the help.

Greetings! 

[virgo47]

My COINS and Touch Portal friends, with COINS now supporting TP4 I totally forgot that you can actually play DCS... because who would do that when you can create or revamp your COINS dashboard, right? So here is my new redesigned L-39 dashboard!

The main page:

And the Alt page (you switch between them by pressing the heading/speed/alt "button" near the top left corner):

This time I made it right and it is available as a user file: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3336442/

All the instructions are there, don't forget about the "event" for ft->m conversion. The great thing about TP4 is that now you can import both pages at once and the values they share are imported only once.

Since my older attempt (for TP3) I remade a lot of switches from the previous icon pack, although some remnants are still there around the engine management on the alt page (which I rework later). New switches should be more obvious, some even mimic actual L-39 elements (I hope you like the pitot heating and weapon carrier selectors), there is much more feedback on the panel (flight recorder, beacon O/I elements)... and of course, you can reshuffle it as you like if you want. Enjoy!

You can also watch this hodge-podge video I made about TP, COINS and this panel:

Edited March 24, 2024 by virgo47

[xoomigo]

On 3/25/2024 at 1:50 AM, virgo47 said:

My COINS and Touch Portal friends, with COINS now supporting TP4 I totally forgot that you can actually play DCS... because who would do that when you can create or revamp your COINS dashboard, right? So here is my new redesigned L-39 dashboard!

This time I made it right and it is available as a user file: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3336442/

Looks great! Like the way you did the makeover of the buttons. There's evidently a lot of time spent and love for the L-39.

I will add the link to the DCS-COINS plugin in the next opportunity.

On 3/25/2024 at 1:50 AM, virgo47 said:

You can also watch this hodge-podge video I made about TP, COINS and this panel:

Your video is also impressive! All aptly covered and explained - with key points and limitations highlighted. Great job!

Appreciate the promo of the plugin.

[virgo47]

6 hours ago, xoomigo said:

Looks great! Like the way you did the makeover of the buttons. There's evidently a lot of time spent and love for the L-39.

Your video is also impressive! All aptly covered and explained - with key points and limitations highlighted. Great job!

Appreciate the promo of the plugin.

@xoomigo, thanks for your work and nice words.

I have a question, or even "feature request". There are some minor nuances between L-39C and ZA, and even worse, DCS sends events for both variants when something changes. This means that just by listening to the events, I have no idea what variant is on. Connection event ON/OFF does not distinguish variants either. Now, I could create a separate dashboard for each which would also have some benefits - so the user would select it for me.

But I've noticed that the COINS log knows the variant - those are the lines starting with Aircracft:

Aircraft: [NO]: Unavailable in installed DCS-COINS module list!
Aircraft: [F-NE]: Unavailable in installed DCS-COINS module list!
Aircraft: [F-86F Sabre]
Loading aircraft parameters from ./acdb/F-86F Sabre.pp
Event: mgdc_f-86f sabre_st_aircraft_connection [ON] (f-86f sabre: F-86F Sabre)
Aircraft: [L-86F Sabre]: Unavailable in installed DCS-COINS module list!
Event: mgdc_f-86f sabre_st_aircraft_connection [OFF]
Removing listeners for previous aircraft
Aircraft: [L-39ZA]
Loading aircraft parameters from ./acdb/L-39.pp
Event: mgdc_l-39_st_aircraft_connection [ON] (l-39: L-39 Albatros)
Aircraft: [P-39ZA]: Unavailable in installed DCS-COINS module list!
Event: mgdc_l-39_st_aircraft_connection [OFF]
Removing listeners for previous aircraft
Aircraft: [P-47D-30bl1]
Loading aircraft parameters from ./acdb/P-47D.pp
Event: mgdc_p-47d_st_aircraft_connection [ON] (p-47d: P-47D Thunderbolt)

Do you think it would be possible to find that string (which is a unit type string, used also in SnapView.lua and other places) in some COINS common variable?